I need to replace or repair the gas tank on my 93 Imp..I worked on it yesterday for a few hours..the seam on the drivers side is toast and any more then half a tank will leak out...Now I have tried JB Weld and another sealer..problem is..I cant get to the spot to clean it off or even see exacltly where the leak is.

 

Is there a trick to dropping this tank without having to drop the rear diff and stuff?

If you take out the 4 bolts that hold the crossmember to the body and the exhaust hanger rubbers off, you can usually slip the tank out without disconnecting driveshalfts and whatnot.

 

If it's leaking at the seams, I'd replace it. Think if you get rear-ended, you don't want your JB weld popping off and 15 gallons of gas pouring out. Gas tank patch epoxy is for punctures, not rust.

Very good point!

Get under there and inspect the cross member REALLY good. My 95 Legacy came from NH, and the gas tank rusted out at the seam this past year. Anyhow, when I went to replace the tank i found out that the cross member was also pretty rusted out. I actually poked a hole completely through it at one point. I'm still driving it with the rusty cross member, but I plan on replacing it by the end of this winter.

 

Keith

I have found that that you can normally dump the crossmember forward enough and leave the rear 2 bolts on by a couple threads. This will help a little for the laying on your back on the ground method for reassembly as you do not have to fight get it to line back up.

If you take out the 4 bolts that hold the crossmember to the body and the exhaust hanger rubbers off, you can usually slip the tank out without disconnecting driveshalfts and whatnot.

 

If it's leaking at the seams, I'd replace it. Think if you get rear-ended, you don't want your JB weld popping off and 15 gallons of gas pouring out. Gas tank patch epoxy is for punctures, not rust.

 

I made a search and found this thread.

Would you know or would someone else know if that would work on a 96 Legacy wagon?

Seems it would be the solution to my fuel filler rubber hose problem (see «Am I in deep trouble».

Thanks in adavance.